Neil Younger
Neil Younger, Yusuf / Cat Stevens, Van Morrison
Neil Younger @ Hyde Park, London, UK, July 11, 2025,
Jul 14, 2025
Pictures by ISHASHAH Pictures (Lead Picture)
Net Unique
What turned out to be the penultimate live performance within the British Summer season Time (BST) sequence of exhibits for 2025 (the cancellation of Jeff Lynne’s ELO on the Sunday meant Stevie Surprise’s headline efficiency on the Saturday was the final) noticed three icons of common music roll again the years within the (very popular) summer season solar on Friday, July 11, as Van Morrison, Yusuf / Cat Stevens, and Neil Younger – all of whom are of their 70s – delighted the capability crowd.
Neil Younger’s headline efficiency got here two weeks after he closed the proceedings on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury on Saturday, June 28.
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I had learn on the Time Out web site that Van Morrison was due on stage at 5.15pm, however he truly got here out at 4.45pm (I’d forgotten that I had the BST app from final yr so may have checked that!) so I used to be a bit late for his set, however I may hear the 79-year-old vocal powerhouse do his factor as I made my method to the doorway – and he sounded in nice voice.
Highlights of his stable displaying included the soulful “Carrying a Torch”, the bluesy “Ain’t Gonna Moan No Extra”, and the gospel-esque “Every time God Shines His Mild” – and the star additionally impressed along with his saxophone and harmonica taking part in.
The famously curmudgeonly singer even managed a smile when introducing his band, who had been taking part in beneath a gazebo – presumably due to the 30-degree warmth.
Subsequent up was Yusuf / Cat Stevens, 76, who was much more talkative between songs (personally, I’d moderately they only sang!). He’s additionally a type of artists the place extra of their songs than you assume you do, and early on he delivered the gorgeous “The First Minimize Is the Deepest”.
Additionally coated by Rod Stewart, in fact, I used to be extra aware of Rod’s model and had forgotten that this gem was truly written by Stevens.
The acclaimed singer-songwriter devoted a more moderen music, “Noon (Keep away from Metropolis After Darkish)” from 2006, to Van Morrison. “I really like Van Morrison,” he exclaimed.
“There’s a full moon,” commented Stevens earlier than the melodic sing-along “Moonshadow” and, on a extra sombre word, he revealed that it was the thirtieth anniversary of the Srebrenica bloodbath, which happened in the course of the Bosnian Conflict, forward of the heartfelt “The Little Ones”, which tonight was sung in help of Palestine.
It appeared everybody within the crowd was singing alongside to the wonderful “Father and Son” and in addition to the catchy “Wild World”, once more serving to remind us simply what number of nice tunes Cat Stevens has been liable for through the years. His voice faltered slightly at instances however it didn’t matter as he greater than succeeded in getting his musical factors throughout.
Additional demonstrating his stressed, rebellious nature, the singer saved saying that he was being hurried alongside and that he needed to end. “In the event that they pull the plug, begin the revolution,” he introduced, including, “Peace begins right here.” Apt, then, that the ultimate music of his warmly-received set was “Peace Practice”.
Neil Younger quietly took to the stage along with his four-piece band at 8.20pm. I feel some folks had been unaware that the principle occasion had in actual fact began, remaining seated because the Canadian-born troubadour, liable for so many timeless classics within the rock/pop/folks/nation rock genres, launched into “Ambulance Blues” – a music off his 1974 LP, On the Seashore, one among his most revered albums.
Younger has typically been referred to as the ‘Godfather of Grunge’ and there was a hard-edged, grunge-y really feel to fairly a number of of those early numbers, and to be sincere I discovered a few of them a bit noisy, tuneless and samey. Personally, I a lot favor his extra laidback, country-tinged materials.
Speaking was saved to a minimal. “Thanks for coming all people,” mentioned the no-nonsense, down-to-earth musician early on, later commenting, “Thanks, of us, I actually recognize you being right here. And I’m completely satisfied to be right here.”
He additionally requested “How are you doing on the market?” sometimes, however, fortunately, no lengthy monologues or political statements.
“Southern Man”, the music that famously led to “Candy Residence Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd, was good, although even higher was the fantastic “Harvest Moon” – undoubtedly my favorite musical second as much as that time. Younger’s distinctive voice really shone on it too.
It was good to listen to the beautiful “Wanting Ahead” by common supergroup, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Younger (the quartet’s “Title of Love” was additionally given an airing in a while), and the piano-led “After the Gold Rush” was hymn-like in its sheer delicate magnificence.
After the final music of the principle set, “Outdated Man”, the two-song encore consisted of “Throw Your Hatred Down” and, inevitably, the anthemic “Rockin’ within the Free World”. After going previous the strict 10.30pm curfew, Younger – like Bruce Springsteen in 2012 – actually had the plug pulled on his efficiency.
Though I didn’t actually take care of among the songs – notably in the course of the first a part of the present earlier than the acoustic guitars got here out – there’s a pleasing, completely unpretentious authenticity to Neil Younger, and it’s all the time a delight to witness in full circulate an artist of legendary standing who’s undeniably the ‘actual deal’.